Picking up the broken pieces together
by Ricky Otaku
Summary: They had both been broken by their pasts. But perhaps it's not too late to pick up the broken pieces together and fix themselves.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi there! It's been a while since I wanted to write a SumiBanba fic, so here it is. I have a confession to make. SumiBanba is actually my AnR otp. I know, surprising uh? With all the OtoShie fics I do, but I swear, SumiBanba is my fav, with OtoShie coming second. It's just that I'm so much obsessed by OtoShie that I neglect my true otp. But it's never too late to fix a mistake, so here it is, my SumiBanba fic! I'll take the manga epilogue, the anime epilogue and Koakuma no Riddle 6 in consideration, all three being canon to me. I hope you'll like it!**

* * *

There was something above her. Even asleep, Sumireko could tell. Her survivor's instinct immediately woke her up. As she suddenly opened her eyes, she discovered that it wasn't something, but someone, who was on top of her. Sumireko relaxed a little, more confident.

"Oh my, going on top of me when I am asleep, how bold of you, Mahiru-san."

"G-Give...give it back…"

Banba looked rather gloomy, but it didn't worry Sumireko. Not in the daytime.

"Give you what back?" Sumireko asked, as if she didn't already know.

"The...the strap…"

Since she failed to kill Haru during Class Black, Sumireko was back to her mansion, with in addition Banba, who she managed to take home with her. Since then, she was working there as her maid. But to ensure that Banba won't leave her, Sumireko had taken the strap Haru gave her, as a way to keep her by her side, and also to make sure Shinya would come after her seriously. Sumireko had still not given up her desire to become stronger, to be the strongest queen, and fighting with Shinya was a good training. So she got to keep Mahiru by her side and trained, two birds one stone.

"Oh? But if I remember well, I told you to come to take it back by strength. Do you perhaps intend to attack me? Or kill me?"

Mahiru froze for a moment. Her hands made a move towards Sumireko's neck, but suddenly started to shake and then she froze back. Sumireko was absolutely not afraid. She was used to having her life threatened. But unlike the other times, she made no attempt to protect herself. She wouldn't want to hurt Mahiru, and she was confident that it won't get too serious.

"You cannot, right? That is why Shinya-san exists after all, to do it for you. She kills for your sake because you cannot do it yourself," Sumireko said as she suddenly sat, making Mahiru fell on the bed. "So I have no reason to fear you in your current state, nor listening to your request. If you do not intend to fight me, then wait for nighttime and Shinya-san will."

Mahiru started to shiver, much to Sumireko's consternation.

"Are you...afraid of me? There is no need to be. I do not intend to hurt you. I am not mad or anything."

"I...I don't like this...this situation...I really don't like it. I...want the strap back…"

Sumireko didn't like to see Banba like that. It made her feel bad. She did know it was wrong of her to have stolen the strap, that it made her no better than Takechi. But she didn't know what else to do. She wanted Banba to stay with her, and she desperately needed to become stronger.

"I cannot give it back to you. Not now. But in exchange, you are allowed to live here. Is it not a fair deal? I do not know in what condition you lived before, but I believe that living here with me must be much better."

"I...I do appreciate...to live here...with you. But...not like that. I feel...forced to be here, and...I don't like that."

"I am not...forcing you. I let you a choice, and you agreed to stay here."

"You...stole my strap...and I want it back. So I have no choice….but to stay here..if I want to get it back…"

"I just want you to stay with me, I did not mean to...I really appreciate you, Mahiru-san. No, more than that. I...I love you!"

Sumireko wasn't the type to be easily flustered or embarrassed, she couldn't even remember the last time she was. But when she was with Banba, she had all sorts of new feelings she wasn't used to. And there she was, confessing her feelings to her. Mahiru remained quiet for a moment, before she blushed.

"I...I appreciate you too...I like you...you're kind to me, but...there used to have someone else who was kind to me, but then...he hurt me...he kept me captive...because he loved me too much. And Shinya...killed him. I...hate him...and I don't want...to feel that way towards you. I don't want...Shinya to kill you. But….I'm afraid. I'm afraid that...I'll end up in the same situation again. I don't want that...never again…"

Sumireko suddenly felt awful. Mahiru never talked about her past before, but she knew it wasn't pretty, given her personality and the existence of Shinya. It was what made her interested by Banba in the first place, her madness. Sumireko found it so beautiful, she liked how strong her soul had become after what she went through. But right now, it made her feel bad. The girl she loved suffered so much, and what she was doing to her reminded her of her of the terrible things that happened to her in the past. Sumireko didn't want to remind Mahiru of the person who hurt her so much as a child.

"I...I am not like this person! I would never hurt you, I swear. I am sorry...if I made you feel that way, it was not my intention. All I wanted...was for you to stay with me. But...I do not want you to feel like you are forced to, I do not intend to keep her against your will. I want you to stay with me...because you want to," Sumireko said.

"I don't...intend to leave you. So...could you give me back...my strap, please…?"

Sumireko hesitated. This strap was the only thing that assured her that Mahiru will not leave her. Sure, she said you won't leave, but could Sumireko really trust her? After all, everyone let her down. Her family, her friends, her bodyguards, none of them were able to protect her from the multiple kidnappings and assassination attempts she went through, despite the fact they told her they would protect her. But somehow, she felt like she could trust Mahiru. She was different from all those people who disappointed her, those people who were the reason why she preferred to fight alone. It was better to only count on herself than rely on useless people who fail to protect her. She was a queen after all, and a queen must endure solitude. Then, would it be better if Banba leaves her so she could be alone again? Sumireko didn't know. All she was sure of, was that she didn't want Banba to leave her and that the strap was the only way she could be sure of it.

"I do...intend to give it back to you, one day. I wanted to give it back to you...as a relic," Sumireko replied.

"Uh? How…?"

"I will become stronger, thanks to Shinya-san. And then, I will defeat Ichinose-san once a for all. So both our wish will be granted. I will have proved to be the strongest, and the strap will be a relic. Then I will give it back to you…"

"But...I want it...now. It doesn't matter...if I have it now or later...right? I could still become...a relic."

"Why do you want it so much? It is just a strap, it is not even a relic yet…"

"Because...it's still from...someone that I appreciate. Ichinose-san...was gentle. So seeing the strap, holding it, it reminds me of her."

"But you wish for her death, right?"

"N-No, not really...I just wanted...the strap to become a relic. This way...it'll fill my heart, and I won't be lonely anymore. Ichinose-san would have been in my heart forever, like all those people I received relics from. But since I'm with you...I feel less the need to have relics. I wonder...why. But I still want the strap back. It's precious to me, even though...it's not a relic. In fact, I don't mind...if it never becomes one. The strap as it is now...is enough."

Sumireko didn't know what to think of that. She couldn't help but feel a little bit happy to know that she had such an impact on Banba, but at the same time, she was worried about the relic. If Mahiru didn't want one anymore, then what was the point of defeating Haru? Only her would benefit of it. She should be fine with that. After all, she only lived for herself, so why did it bother her so much?

" _Because...if she doesn't benefit of this too, it would be like I'm just using her…_ "

Sumireko was stuck in a dilemma. A part of her still wanted to be the queen, the strongest, to defeat Haru. But another part just wanted to be together with Banba and live peacefully with her. But both of those weren't compatible. A queen must endure solitude, meaning she couldn't be with Mahiru. But there she was, foolishly trying to have both despite the fact it was impossible.

"I could give it back...but I want something in exchange," Sumireko suddenly said.

"W-What do you want…?"

"A kiss...Just kiddi-"

Mahiru suddenly approached her face from hers. Their lips were only a few centimetres away. The silver haired girl was blushing intensely. Sumireko couldn't help but finding this adorable. But she didn't want her to do something she was uncomfortable with simply because she asked her.

"Mahiru-san, it is okay. I was merely joking. You do not have to do it if you do not want to."

"But...I want to."

Sumireko suddenly felt her heart racing. She knew she must be blushing too. Were they really going to kiss, the thing she was longing for so long since she understood her feelings for Mahiru? She may be the one who asked for it, but she wondered if she was really ready. Banba continued to approach and their lips were about to touch. Sumireko closed her eyes. But she felt nothing against her mouth. She actually felt something soft on her cheek, near her lips. She opened her eyes. Mahiru had kissed her on the cheek. Banba then recoiled, avoiding her gaze, all flustered.

"You...you didn't say it had to be...on the mouth,"Mahiru nervously said.

"You are right," Sumireko replied with a soft smile. "Worry not, there is no need to rush things."

Sumireko realized that she had to respect her promise. She had to give her back the strap. Sumireko wasn't sure how she felt about that. She was about to give away the only thing that assured her that Mahiru would stay. What if she left her after? Sumireko realized how obsessed she was about power. She wanted to be the strongest, and she wanted to have control over Banba. She knew it wasn't healthy, that it wasn't good for either her or Banba. She didn't want Mahiru to suffer because of her own issues. Both of them went through enough misery, she would like for them to have something more positive. They both had been broken by their past, but perhaps it wasn't too last for them to pick up the pieces, together.

Sumireko rose up and went searching in her drawers. She then came back to sit on the bed next to Mahiru. She opened her hand, revealing to Banba what she have retrieved: the strap.

"Here, you can have it back."

Mahiru's eyes seemed to sparkle as she took the strap and lift it, gazing at it with a warmful smile.

"T-Thanks!" Mahiru said, truly grateful.

Just for the sight of such a happy Mahiru, Sumireko considered that giving her the strap back worth it. Seeing her in so much joy warmed Sumireko's heart. Then Banba suddenly touched Sumireko's hand with her. Sumireko could tell, she had captors under her fake skin that allowed her to feel pressure. But it wasn't the same thing as the sensation of a real hand. It was in that kind of moment that she somewhat regretted to have cybernetic limbs, a choice she made in order to become stronger, just because it refrained her from feeling Banba's hand. Once again, her obsession for power got between her and the girl she loved.

"When I'm with you...I feel like my heart is being filled...with something good. Not really the same as a relic, but still...nice. I feel...less empty when I'm with you, less alone. So I won't leave, because I...like being with you. And so does Shinya."

"I'm glad to hear that. I love both you and Shinya-san."

Giving up the strap was the first step to have a better relationship with Banba, to learn how to trust again and perhaps let go of the past. Sumireko wasn't sure how she could be both a queen and be with Banba, but she still had time to figure it out. She didn't want to ruin the moment with those thoughts. She gently grabbed Mahiru's hand and looked at her in the eyes.

"How about we have tea?" Sumireko proposed.

Mahiru smiled softly to that.

"I'll make some."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I don't intend to let this fic as a one-shot, I have planned many other chapters for this story. So if you're interested** be **sure to tell me, it will encourage me. Seeya!**


	2. Chapter 2

It felt like time had stopped. The little girl was facing her parents' grave with teary eyes. They died in a tragic accident, leaving their daughter an orphan. Where would she go now? She was all alone now…

"Mahiru-chan, isn't it?"

The little girl turned back to see who was calling her. It was a man who was kindly smiling to her. He seemed like a nice person, Mahiru felt at ease with him.

"Yes...who are you?" she asked.

"We never met, but I knew your parents. I'm your uncle," he replied.

Mahiru looked at him, surprised. She didn't know any of her parents had siblings. So she still had family left after all. Her uncle then looked at her with a sad expression that seemed sincere.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he said.

The little girl felt tears falling on her cheeks and the man smiled softly as he extended his hand towards her.

"How about you come live with me? I'll take care of you," her uncle proposed.

Mahiru wiped her tears away. She was glad that she wasn't alone after all, that she still had a place to go. So she smiled brightly as she took the man's hand.

"Yes!"

* * *

Mahiru woke up with a jolt. She was heavily panting and her body felt sweaty. What a terrible dream.

The dream itself wasn't terrible, but knowing what happened next, it was awful. This man who claimed to be her uncle, which he might not even be, welcomed Mahiru into his house. Everything was fine at first, he was taking care of her like any adults would with a child. But then, things got worse. It began with him asking to take pictures of her, which Mahiru agreed. She didn't see anything wrong with that request at first. He kept telling her how beautiful she was, how pretty her hair and eyes were. It made Mahiru happy, until...he asked for pictures with less clothing. Mahiru didn't want to be rude to the man who was so kind to her, so she accepted, but then it began to escalate. She tried to say no, but as soon as she protested, that was when the nightmare started. She woke up chained in the basement in the dark, with the only light being the camera flash her uncle used to take pictures of her. She didn't know for how long she remained her prisoner, she couldn't know the time in that room with no clock or window. This solitude was what lead to Shinya's creation, someone who could protect her, because no one ever came to rescue her. Shinya killed her uncle and she was freed.

This event not only caused her to have a scar, it created a hole in her heart, an emptiness she was trying to fill with relics, objects from people who were dear to her, people who were dead. This way, she would never be alone again, but she won't have to risk trusting others again. She couldn't, no after what her uncle did to her.

But that was before she met Sumireko. For the first time, Mahiru wanted to be with someone, someone who was still alive. Being with Sumireko was enough to fill the hole in her heart. She was so kind to her, she offered her a place to stay and she was taking care of her.

Still, she couldn't help but be worried. Her uncle too seemed kind at first, he also offered her a new home and took care of her at first. What if Sumireko ended up becoming like him?

" _That's enough, Mahiru._ "

A familiar voice had appeared in her mind.

"Shinya…"

" _Sumireko isn't like that bastard,_ " Shinya said.

"But what if…"

" _If she was, she wouldn't have given you back the strap._ "

Mahiru instinctively rolled in her bed to look at her nightstand, where the strap was. She sat up and stretched her arms, and grabbed the strap. She looked intensely at it with a smile on her face. It may not be a relic, it was still an object that was precious to Mahiru.

"You're right. Hanabusa-san...gave it back to me. She's not...like him…"

Her heart suddenly started to race. She really liked Sumireko. She wanted to stay with her.

" _And_ _I want to stay with Sumireko too,_ " Shinya said.

Mahiru placed the strap back on her nightstand and rose up from the bed. She had work to do. She was glad Shinya was there to comfort her when she had doubts. Sumireko wasn't like her uncle. She had to trust her. She had to overcome her lack of trust in others. Not everyone was like him. She removed her pyjama, a black bathrobe, and puts on her maid uniform. She really liked it, she always wanted to wear one. And it was thanks to Sumireko. She was really grateful to her to allow her to live with her and wear clothes she liked.

Mahiru glanced one last time at the strap and smiled, before she left the room, ready to work.

* * *

The silver haired girl was dusting some decorations in the corridor, happily humming. She liked doing this job. It was calm, it made her felt at ease. At first, she felt a little bit overwhelmed to live in such a big mansion. She felt like she didn't belong to such a place. But over time she got used to it, thanks to Sumireko. And the other maids seemed kind to her, they always helped her when she was in trouble.

"Isn't oujo-sama a little bit too close to that girl?"

Mahiru then stopped what she was doing. This voice, it sounded like one of the other maids working in the manor. Was she talking about Sumireko and...her? Curious, she headed for where the voice came from. It was coming from the kitchen. Multiple maids were there, so Mahiru remained hidden behind the wall.

"She's just being protective of Banba-san. Who wouldn't? She looks so helpless, one can't help but want to protect her," an old maid said.

"Still, isn't she a little bit too incompetent? Why would oujo-sama hire such a girl in the first place…" a middle aged maid commented.

"She's clearly into her. I always had a thought that oujo-sama was swinging in that way," a young maid said.

Mahiru felt her heart missing a beat. They were really talking about her. She felt uncomfortable with what they were saying. She always thought they were kind to her, so it was kind of painful to hear them say those things.

"Really? I wonder what her father would think of it. He probably wants grandkids after all," the old maid said.

"I'm not against it, but still, wouldn't it be a little bit weird? Oujo-sama should at least be interested into someone of her status," the middle-aged maid replied.

"I don't care as long as she doesn't get a better salary because of that," the young maid added.

Mahiru felt tears forming into her eyes. What she heard caused her pain. She didn't know how the other maids viewed her and her relationship with her that way. She didn't want to listen to it anymore. She walked away from the kitchen, not feeling as confident about her job, or Sumireko anymore.

* * *

As Sumireko was drinking her tea, Mahiru was doing her best to avoid her eyes. It was the time of the day the lady of the house was taking her daily tea, with a few pastries.

"Are you sure you don't want to have tea with me?" Sumireko asked.

"N-No...I'm just...your maid, I can't…"

"Um, if you say so."

Sumireko continued to drink her tea, while Mahiru felt more and more tormented by what she heard from the maids.

"Oujo-sama...do you want to have children?" Mahiru suddenly asked.

Her mistress looked like she was about to spit her tea out of surprise, but she managed to swallow it, keeping an elegant face. She put her cup on the table and looked at her maid with confusion.

"Uh? Where did that come from...Well, yes? Not now, but eventually maybe I would be interested, why?" Sumireko asked.

"Because...two girls can't...have children together," Mahiru mumbled nervously.

"Um, I know that, but why are you…?"

"Your father...is an important man. He probably wants...to have grandchildren, wouldn't he?"

"Well, we never really talked about that…"

"He...he wouldn't approve you being in love with another girl, right?"

Sumireko remained quiet for a moment, before she looked at Mahiru with a serious expression.

"Mahiru-san, I do not care what my father thinks about it. I love who I want to love."

"But...you're too good for someone...like me. You're an heiress, while I'm just...me. You could be with someone...better than me."

Sumireko didn't say anything for a few seconds, before showing a gaze with slightly threatening eyes..

"Who...who said that to you?" her mistress asked, a hint of frost in her voice.

Mahiru froze for a moment. Sumireko was kind of scary right now. If she told her about the other maids, the heiress might get mad at them. Mahiru didn't want that to happen, she wanted to avoid any troubles.

"No...no one...I was just thinking that...I'm not good enough for you…"

Mahiru noticed that Sumireko's cup was almost empty. She wanted to refill it, but when she raised the tea-pot, she dropped it by accident, spilling its contents onto the table. Feeling greatly ashamed of herself, Mahiru immediately started to wipe it with a tissue.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Mahiru shouted. "I'm so...clumsy...I'm not fit to be a maid. Someone like me...doesn't deserve to be with someone as great as you!"

Tears began to fall on Mahiru's cheeks. She was now sobbing, saddened upon the feeling she wasn't good enough for the girl she liked. She was afraid Sumireko might be mad at her. Her eyes were closed, too scared to look at her mistress.

Suddenly, she felt a hand gently stroking her cheeks, wiping her tears away. Mahiru dared to open her eyes, and they met Sumireko's face. There was no sign of anger on it, Sumireko was only looking at her with a kind expression and a soft smile on her lips.

"Mahiru-san, it is okay. I like you the way you are, I would not want to be with anyone else. You are good enough for me. And I am not as great as you think, I have many flaws. I...I feel connected to you. We are both similar in a way, both broken by life. So I think we were fated to meet, fated to fix ourselves together. We were meant to be with each other."

Even more tears were flowing on Mahiru's cheeks, but not from sadness. She was moved by Sumireko's words. She always thought that her mistress was so perfect, she had forgotten that Sumireko too had her own issues. Her struggle for power, her broken body, the assassination attempts she experienced as a child. She should have known that already. Both her and Sumireko were similar in a way, broken, but maybe it was true. Maybe they could fix each other. Maybe they were truly meant to be together.

As Sumireko continued to gently wipe her tears, Mahiru approached her and suddenly hugged her. Sumireko hugged her back, stroking her back fondly. They hugged for a while, sharing their warmth with each other. Mahiru felt so comforted by this embrace, it relieved her. She felt like she deserved Sumireko's love after all, and that she was allowed to love her back.

Mahiru was suddenly overtaken by an impulsion, a desire to be even closer to Sumireko, a need to be even more comforted. She broke the hug and looked at her mistress, before slowly closing the distance between her face and hers. Their lips then touched, and they shared a soft yet passionate kiss.

The kiss last for a while, Mahiru wanting to take her time to feel Sumireko's lips on hers. They felt so soft, so warm. They eventually broke the kiss and looked at each other, both blushing.

"Well, that was..pleasant. I was not expecting that though," Sumireko said.

"S-Sorry, maybe I shouldn't have…"

"No, it was fine. I liked that. I always wanted...to kiss you."

Sumireko blushed even more. Mahiru was surprised to see her looking so flustered, it was a rare sight. And it was somewhat cute.

"Does it mean...we're dating now?" Mahiru asked shyly.

"I suppose...if you do not mind, of course. I would want to be your girlfriend, because I love you, Mahiru-san."

The silver haired girl felt her heart racing.

"I...Me too! I want to be your girlfriend, oujo-sama."

"Then call me by my name. I want to hear you say my name."

Mahiru felt that she was blushing even more.

"Su...Sumireko...san. I….I love you too."

Sumireko blushed madly at this declaration. She looked quite happy.

"Then it is official, we are a couple. And I know what we should do next," Sumireko said.

"Um? What?" Mahiru asked.

Sumireko simply smiled as she grabbed Mahiru's hand, leading her somewhere.

* * *

"I have an announcement to make," Sumireko declared.

The three other maids suddenly stopped what they were doing, which was cleaning the dining room, to face their mistress with respect.

"What it is, oujo-sama?" the old maid asked.

As an answer, Sumireko took Mahiru's hand and drew her closer to her, putting her arm around her shoulders. This sudden physical made the silver haired girl's heart raced.

"I love Mahiru-san with all my heart, and we are dating."

Mahiru blushed with embarrassment. But a part of her was also happy about Sumireko's declaration of love. It meant she was unashamed of her feelings for her and that she was proud of their relationship. The maids looked shocked at first, but they immediately took a professional expression.

"If it's what your heart truly wants, then I'll support you," the old maid said.

"I wish you happiness together," the middle-aged maid replied.

"Congratulations. But our salary will stay the same, right?" the younger maid added.

Mahiru suddenly felt a warm feeling in her chest. The other maids were approving with Sumireko. Despite what they said earlier, they accepted them. Her mistress smiled with satisfaction as she walked away, still holding her girlfriend's hand.

* * *

"Have you seen Oujo-sama and Banba-san this morning? They were holding hands! How adorable!" the young maid said.

"Ah, young lovers, so pure and innocent. I wonder how things will evolve for them," the older maid commented

"Those two are meant to be together, I'm telling you. It will last," the middle-aged maid added.

Mahiru blushed as she walked near the laundry room, hearing the maids talking about her. She was glad they were so supportive of her relationship with Sumireko, but she was also quite embarrassed by their "fangirling" over them.

"Well, I believe it is best if they act this way rather than judging us, don't you think?" Sumireko said with a slight blush on her cheeks. "How about we have tea together?"

Mahiru would have usually refused, giving as an excuse that she was only her maid, but it wouldn't work anymore. Because she wasn't only her maid, she was now Sumireko's lover. A soft and happy smiled appeared on the silver haired girl's lips.

"Sure."


	3. Chapter 3

Mahiru was dusting some ornaments in the corridor, happily humming. Everything was doing for the best for her. She had a nice place to stay where she was safe, a job, and more importantly, a girlfriend she loved. She and Sumireko were officially dating for a little bit more than a week now. Mahiru was truly happy about this. Sumireko was so kind to her, she was taking care of her and loved her. Mahiru had been hurt in the past by someone who was claiming to love her, but she knew it wouldn't be the case with Sumireko. She trusted her. She was hesitant at first to trust again after what happened with her uncle, but Sumireko proved to her that she was trustworthy. So Mahiru had no worries anymore and was free to love and trust her girlfriend.

The silver haired girl continued her cleaning in a good mood, dusting lamps and other objects. When she was done with the corridor, it was time to clean the rooms. She spotted a door that she didn't recall what was behind. Well, anyway, she would have to clean it regardless. She grabbed the handle and opened the door.

The room looked like some kind of laboratory. There were mechanical tools all around the place. It didn't look like the type of room Mahiru should be in. As she was about to leave, she saw _her_.

Lying on a table was Sumireko. Limbless. Surrounded by mechanical arms that seemed to be working on her body. The cyborg suddenly turned her head and glared at Mahiru. She looked in shock. The maid froze, unable to think. Even if she already knew about Sumireko's body, she was also in shock to see her in such a state.

"Mahiru-san…" Sumireko whispered.

Then, her expression changed. It looked so… fierce. Almost angry.

"Leave!" Sumireko ordered sharply.

Mahiru let out a muffled cry of fear and surprised, before quickly closing the door and running away. She ran as fast as she could, terrified by Sumireko's apparent anger. Everything was doing so well until now, why did this incident had to happen? Tears began to fall from Mahiru's eyes, afraid that she might have ruined things between her and Sumireko. She eventually stopped running, realizing that she still had work to do. She went to the living room to clean, but she was no longer in a good mood anymore.

* * *

An awkward silence was reigning in the dining room. Sumireko was at the table, quietly eating her meal. Mahiru was in the corner of the room, equally quiet. Neither of them dared to speak about what happened. Mahiru was really worried that she might have ruined everything. She was scared Sumireko might kick out her out, or even took back her strap, or worst, lock her up. She wanted to trust her but right now she was so afraid, she wanted to stay with Sumireko but was scared that she might have offended her. She wanted Sumireko to still love her and take care of her.

She suddenly heard Sumireko put her fork and knife on her plate, who was now empty. She was done with her lunch. The lady then sighed, before looking at Mahiru.

"Mahiru-san, come over here," she said calmly.

The silver haired girl began to shiver nervously, afraid of what Sumireko wanted. The latter showed a soft smile.

"Worry not, I am not mad."

Mahiru felt a little bit comforted, but was still worried. She hesitantly approached from Sumireko and stood near her, her hands shaking a little. Her mistress was smiling in a reassuring way.

"Sorry for earlier, I overreacted. You did nothing wrong."

"N-No, I should be the one… apologizing. I went somewhere… I shouldn't have. Sorry."

"No need to apologise, you could not have known. I was having… a maintenance. Both for my limbs and my body, given my special condition. I have one each month and I prefer to be alone when I do."

Sumireko took a break, before continuing to speak.

"It just made me feel so… weak. You seeing me so helpless and powerless, it made me felt so vulnerable. And I hate this feeling. My goal has always been to be strong, so anything that might me feel weak is wrong to me. But it is not your fault. I am the one who is too prideful. So I am sorry, for being rude to you."

Mahiru felt relieved. So Sumireko wasn't mad at her. She was so glad. Yet she also felt bad for her, for how she was feeling regarding this incident. She could understand her. She knew how it felt to be weak and vulnerable, and she didn't want her girlfriend to feel this way. So gently took Sumireko's hand, looking at her in the eyes.

"I… understand. Sumireko-san, how… did your body ended up that way?"

The lady looked taken by surprised by this sudden question. Mahiru hoped that she didn't go too far.

"I got injured, after another assassination attempt against me," Sumireko began to say. "My limbs were severely injured, but not beyond repair. With a good surgery my limbs would have been fine, but… I didn't want that. After this attack that nearly cost my life, I felt so weak and I hated it. I viewed my body, my limbs, as too weak… so I asked the doctor to cut them off. This way, I could have stronger limbs… robotic limbs."

"And how does it make you… feel?"

"Well, at first, it felt weird. It felt so unnatural, inhumane. A part of me was missing my old organic limbs, I even kind of regret my choice for a certain time. But I knew it was too late to go back. And more the cybernetic improved, more I felt powerful, stronger. And I began to become addicted to this feeling, I wanted more, I kept improving my limbs to the point I didn't have any regret over my old weak and organics limbs. I had no longer attachment to my previous legs and arms, I was just proud of my strength. All I cared about was how strong my new ones made me. But now, I do have regrets..."

Sumireko suddenly approached Mahiru's hand from her face and pressed it on her cheek.

"I regret the warmth of my old limbs. Those are so cold. I regret the fact I cannot feel you with my hands. If I could, I would regain my old arms just to be able to feel your warmth, feel your hands, your skin, your body. But I know it is not possible anymore. This is the price for my struggle for power, I can only blame myself for that. There is nothing I can do for that."

Sumireko was smiling, but her eyes seemed so sad. It broke Mahiru's heart. She didn't like to see her girlfriend like that. She wanted to see her happy, she wanted to comfort her the way Sumireko always did. She suddenly got an idea. Mahiru smiled shyly as she took both Sumireko's hands.

"Sumireko-san, I think that… your body is beautiful! I love everything... about it! Even your robotic limbs are beautiful to me, they are… a part of you. And I know… how you could feel… my body…"

Sumireko remained calm for a moment, before she suddenly blushed heavily. Mahiru too was a blushing mess right now. They both looked away, embarrassed.

"I… I would love too, but first… let me have some tea."

"Oh, sure! Let me… bring you some."

Mahiru left the dining room and went to the kitchen to retrieve some tea, terribly nervous about the idea she wanted to do with her girlfriend.

* * *

"Are you sure… you are comfortable with this, Mahiru-san?"

Both lying in Sumireko's bed in underwear, the two lovers were gazing at each other nervously. Sumireko was lying next to Mahiru, admiring her girlfriend's body. She wanted to touch her so badly, her skin looked so soft. But she knew she couldn't feel it, not with her cybernetic limbs.

"Sumireko-san… hug me."

The lady blushed, before hugging her. She could feel her warmth against her body, feel the softness of her skin on her own, even feel her heartbeat. It made Sumireko's own heart raced with excitement.

"Can you… feel it now? My warmth, my skin… my b-body?" Mahiru asked nervously.

"Yes, I can… it feels incredible. I love you so much."

It was Mahiru's turn to blush heavily, which Sumireko found adorable.

"I love you too, this is why… I want to help you… feel my body," Mahiru began to say before she cupped Sumireko' face with her hands. "Like this…"

Sumireko felt moved by her girlfriend's gesture, and grateful. She was happy that Mahiru was enough concerned about her to care about this, it showed how much she meant to her. It felt so intimate yet still innocent.

"Mahiru-san, thank you," Sumireko began to say. "I would like to feel… you face."

As a response, the silver haired girl approached her face from hers, and their cheeks touched. It felt so warm and soft, it made Sumireko's head beat faster. Then they looked at each other and almost naturally, their lips met and they shared a chaste yet passionate kiss. Sumireko felt so grateful to be dating Banba. She was truly a wonderful girlfriend.

Sumireko suddenly felt a sharp pain on her lips. Like she had been… bitten. She broke the kiss and looked at Banba with shock.

"Mahiru-san!?"

But she then realized her mistake, and what time it was. The sun went down, it was now the night.

"Oh my, Shinya-san. What is the meaning of this?" Sumireko asked calmly.

Shinya suddenly pinned her on the bed. Sumireko made no attempt to defend herself. The silver haired girl seemed particularly mad.

"You… you shouted at Mahiru! This is not acceptable, ya can't do that!" Shinya exclaimed.

It took a moment for Sumireko to remember what Shinya was talking about.

"Oh… Mahiru-san and I discuss about it, I apologized and everything is fine now."

"Well it's ain't for me!"

Sumireko signed. But she wasn't annoyed by Shinya, but she wanted to be over with this conflict. She was kind of sad that her moment with Mahiru had been interrupted, but she also liked to spend time with Shinya.

"I am truly sorry, Shinya-san, for shouting at Mahiru-san. It was not right and I regret it."

Shinya continued to glare at her for a moment, before releasing her and laying next to her.

"It's fine, it's not like I don't understand ya. I heard everythin' ya told to Mahiru."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

The silver haired girl looked like she was hesitating to answer.

"I know how it feels… to be helpless. Before my birth, Mahiru… was abused by that man. Even if I didn't exist yet when it happened, I… I remember it as if it was my own memory. This man made us feel so helpless. vulnerable, weak. So I understand why ya react that way. Can't really blame ya for this. I just… don't want Mahiru to be hurt."

Sumireko was surprised. It was the first time Shinya confessed, opened up about her feelings. This was a rare sight, to see Shinya somewhat shy. Sumireko was grateful that she managed to witness this.

"I understand. My limbs, your existence, both of proof of how I and Mahiru-san had been weak once, but aren't anymore. Both of us are afraid of our own past weakness."

"We've been both broken, my soul has been shattered while ya, it's your body."

"But perhaps together, we can pick up the pieces and be whole again."

"Ya sounds like a huge softy right now… but I don't dislike it. It would be great if ya could do that with Mahiru…"

"Not only with her. I want to do it with you too, Shinya-san."

"Um… what do you mean?"

Sumireko slightly brushed Shinya's face with her hand.

"I am dating Banba-san, which mean you too. You're a part of Mahiru-san, as well as your own person. And I love you too."

"So you consider us… a couple. Well, I'm cool with it. I like ya a lot, Sumireko. You're hot, and really beautiful. And ya always take care of Mahiru… and me too. Thanks for offering us a place to stay, we really owe ya a lot."

"No need to thank me. I am doing this because I love you both. And I want to be with you forever"

"Forever… it would be nice. But now that Mahiru-san has ya, I wonder if she'll need me anymore. I told ya before, I'm only there because Mahiru needs me. With ya now to protect her, I'm not much useful…."

"You are to me. I like to have you around Shinya-san. I would be sad if you disappeared."

"Well, it's up to Mahiru, I exist for her after all."

The possibility of Shinya leaving made Sumireko felt down. Suddenly, she felt a hand gently running through her hair. The silver haired girl was looking at her with was appeared to be a comforting smile.

"Hey, no need to worry now. I'm not going anywhere, Mahiru still needs me. And I also enjoy your company, so I don't want to leave now. If possible, I would also want to be we ya forever."

Sumireko felt her heart miss a beat. She was so happy right now. She loved both Mahiru and Shinya so much, she wanted to spend the rest of her life by their side. She viewed both of them as her girlfriends and was glad they viewed it the same.

She began to feel tired. She got closer from Shinya, cuddling her.

"Do you mind if we sleep like that? I want to feel your warmth as I fall asleep."

"Uh? Oh, sure. I guess a little nap wouldn't be bad, Mahiru's body needs rest after all.

Shinya wrapped her arms around Sumireko and they both snuggled against each other.

"I love you, Shinya-san."

"We love you too, Sumireko."

Sumireko smiled, happy, as she closed her eyes. Today had been a rough day at first, but she was glad she was able to spend those moments with both Banbas. She felt like their bond had been strengthened up. Appeased by Shinya'sproximityy, Sumireko slowly fell asleep, grateful to have met Banba.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi there! Been a while I haven't updated this fic, but I'm back! I hope you'll like this chapter.**

* * *

Sumireko took a sip of her tea, her usual Hanabusa blend she liked so much. The aroma was pleasant as usual and the taste was delicious. But somehow, it was less tasty than usual.

It was early in the morning, Banba was still sleeping. Sumireko was lost in her thought, confused by unpleasant ideas that were tainting her usually enjoyable tea time.

" _Am I… still a queen? Am I still the strongest?_ "

She was truly happy with Banba. She felt so at ease with her, enough to confide her her own insecurities and fears, as well as her past. Sumireko never trusted someone enough to ever do something like that before, Banba was truly special to her. She felt comfortable at her side, she felt complete, whole again.

Was it making her weaker?

She was starting to become dependent on Banba. She needed her. She couldn't see herself not being with her anymore. She desperately needed her by her side.

" _This is… starting to make me weak._ "

She didn't want to be weak. She always strived for strength and power, to be the strongest, to be the real queen. She didn't want to be the vulnerable and helpless girl she used to be, she didn't want to go through all those assassination attempts ever again. She was strong now, she was a real survivor, a true queen. And a true queen must endure solitude in order to be stronger.

" _Love… is a weakness._ "

She suddenly heard footsteps entering the living room.

"Sumireko...san… good morning."

Mahiru was now facing her. She was smiling shyly, which Sumireko couldn't help but find adorable. Banba was so pretty, she loved her so much. Yet, this relationship was making her weak, something Sumireko couldn't accept. But she didn't want to lose her, she still wanted to be with her. Sumireko considered that her hesitation was nothing more than another weakness.

Her girlfriend slowly but gradually closer to her and approached her face with her own, shyly pressing her lips against hers. It felt so soft, Sumireko usually enjoyed Mahiru's shy kisses. But this time, she was too troubled by her thought that she couldn't allow herself to take joy in it. The kiss lacked passion, and it seemed Mahiru had noticed. She recoiled a little, looking at her mistress with worry in her amethyst eyes.

"Sumireko-san… is something wrong?"

"Hm? Oh... no. I am just… a little tired," Sumireko replied as she took another sip of her tea, before realizing it was empty.

"Ah, let me… bring you more tea. Be right back!" Mahiru said as she exited the room.

Sumireko put the cup on the coffee table, pondering. Will she have to break up with Banba to preserve her strength and her title as a queen? She didn't want to, it would break her heart, and she didn't want to hurt Banba.

But she was a queen. And a queen must endure solitude. Love and power were simply incompatible.

* * *

Sumireko was being distant with Banba these days, tormented by her thoughts and her fear of weakness. Mahiru seemed to have noticed and looked saddened by this, while Shinya looked uncertain about the situation. Sumireko hated the fact that she was hurting them, she felt ashamed of herself to put them through that.

She just didn't know what to do. She wanted to be with Banba, she loved her with all her heart and soul, but at the same time, being the strongest queen was everything she had ever desire. She needed power, she needed to be strong, she needed to eliminate every source of weakness in her life. Her old limbs were weak so she got rid of them.

So did it mean she had to get rid of Banba?

She didn't want to. And even if she does, how? She couldn't simply throw her out, the poor girl had nowhere to go. But it would be painful to see her every day if she broke up with her. Sumireko simply didn't know what to do.

There was no way she could kill her either.

She was overtaken by so many contradicting desires. To be a queen, love Banba, to be the strongest, to not hurt Banba… and they couldn't coexist together. She had to make a choice soon, she couldn't continue like this.

"Hanabusa-sama, two people desire to see you. They say they were old classmates."

Sumireko was pulled out from her thoughts by one of her butlers. Two classmates? Who were they? Sumireko wasn't in the mood for guests, but she was still curious about who it was.

"Let them in," Sumireko ordered.

"Yes, oujo-sama."

Her butler left the room for a couple of minutes and came back with two people who were indeed old classmates. Sumireko was surprised to see them here and intrigued by the reason of their visit.

"Oh my, Ichinose-san, Azuma-san, what a surprise. Please have a seat," Sumireko said with a dignified smile before she turned to her butler. "Please, bring them a cup of tea."

The butler bowed down before leaving the living room once again. Haru sat on the couch in front of Sumireko, while Tokaku remained standing up next to her. Haru looked a little bit nervous but was smiling in a friendly way nonetheless, while Tokaku glanced at her with suspicion. Sumireko could almost be amused by this situation if she wasn't so worried about her relationship with Banba.

"So, what brings you here?" Sumireko asked.

The butler came back with two cups of tea that he put on the coffee table. Tokaku made no effort to take hers, while Haru took a sip of hers, probably to be polite. She then placed back the cup on the table and grabbed something from inside her purse. It looked like a roll of paper.

"Hm, what is it?" Sumireko asked.

"Your diploma. From Class Black," Haru replied.

"Oh? But I have not graduated…"

"Mizorogi-sensei wanted everyone to have their diploma regardless. This is why I decided to bring them to everyone," Haru explained.

"So you are willingly visiting the people who once tried to kill you. How brave of you."

Haru had always confused Sumireko. How could she be so optimistic and positive, and friendly? It wasn't just an act, it was genuine. A queen must be elegant and keep a good image, but she shouldn't really bond with others. But Haru was no real queen. She was. Yet she bonded with Banba…

"I just want everyone to have their diploma. I would have wished for everyone to graduate together, but it's not possible anymore. This is the closest thing I can do," Haru replied.

"I see. Well, I will gladly accept my diploma… oh! If you are looking for Mahiru-san, she… lives with me."

"Really?! Why?"

"She's… working as my maid," Sumireko replied as she turned towards her butler. "Bring Mahiru-san please."

Once again the butler left and came back after a couple of minutes with Mahiru. She looked surprised to see both Haru and Tokaku. Haru immediately smiled at her.

"Mahiru-chan! I'm so happy to see you again. How are you?"

"I… I'm… fine," Mahiru replied nervously.

Haru looked inside of her purse and took another diploma that she handed to the silver-haired girl.

"Here, it's for you. Your diploma."

"Huh, oh… thanks."

Mahiru took the diploma with some hesitation, looking uncertain about what she should do with it.

Sumireko felt some grudge against Haru. She remembered her wish to defeat her and proved once and for all that she was the strongest, the real queen. She still hadn't given up. She was still determined to defeat Haru. And perhaps today was the right occasion to finally accomplish her desire.

Sumireko smiled, trying to hide her malicious intent with a soft and welcoming expression.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?"

* * *

The dinner went surprisingly well. It wasn't as awkward as Sumireko would have expected it. Much to her surprise, talking with Haru happened to be quite pleasant. Still, Sumireko hadn't forgotten her sinister goal, she'll defeat Haru just like she had always planned. But for that, she needed to wait for her to be separated from Tokaku.

As expected, Tokaku had been pretty quiet during the dinner. Even Mahiru was more talkative than her, and later Shinya joined them when the sun went down. After dessert Haru wanted to get some fresh air, so she went outside on the balcony, alone. Sumireko had to restrain herself to not grin. This was the perfect occasion she was waiting for. Shinya was talking to Tokaku, and Sumireko took advantage of this to discreetly go on the balcony. Haru was facing the garden, pressed on the fence. If she was quick, she could simply push her and make her fall to her death. That would be the perfect payback for what happened at Class Black.

Sumireko slowly got closer to Haru, silently raising an arm, ready to strike. She was only at a couple of centimetres away from Haru, a good push and it will be over. She was about to touch her back but then she suddenly stopped, a thought had crossed her mind.

" _What if Azuma-san gets revenge by hurting Mahiru-san?_ "

Sumireko froze. She didn't want Banba to get hurt, or worst.

Once again, love was a weakness.

" _I just have to kill both Ichinose-san and Azuma-san!_ "

Haru suddenly turned back and Sumireko quickly lowered her arm, smiling at her innocently. Haru looked uncertain for a moment before she smiled back.

"Oh, Hanabusa-san. What are you doing here?"

"I needed some fresh air too," Sumireko replied as she got closer to the fence, looking at the sky. "It is a beautiful night isn't?"

"Yes, the stars are so pretty, so is the moon."

They both remained silent, stargazing. Sumireko discreetly glanced at Haru, wondering if she could kill her. Even without her fighting cybernetic limbs, she should be able to overpower Haru and make her fall. But if she killed her and finally became the one true queen, then it meant her relationship with Banba will truly be over.

"How did you and Mahiru-chan ended up living together?" Haru suddenly asked.

"Oh, I decided to hire her after Class Black, since she did not seem to have a place to go," Sumireko replied.

"And how things going between you two?"

Sumireko hesitated to answer. Should she be honest and say the truth? She didn't want to give Haru weaknesses she could exploit, but at the same time, she felt like she needed to tell someone. And she didn't think Haru would be the type to take advantage of this.

"We are dating," Sumireko admitted.

"Oh, really? Congratulations!"

"But… I might have to break up with her."

"Huh, why?! You're not happy with her?"

"It is not the problem, I just… have to be alone. A queen must endure solitude."

"That… that doesn't make any sense! If you're happy with her, why break up? It's only gonna hurt both of you…"

"This is the price for strength, I have to be the strongest."

"I don't see the correlation-"

"I cannot be weak again!"

Sumireko had raised her voice. She wasn't used to losing her temper like this. Even Haru looked surprised, but she also looked… sad?

"I don't see how it could make you weak… or why you care so much," Haru replied.

"Because I am a queen, a queen must be strong, a queen must be alone!"

"But why? Who said a queen has to be this way? This has nothing to do with being a queen!"

"Of course you would not understand, you… fake queen. You always had people to protect you, you were never truly alone. But I was. Nobody protected me, everybody let me down. I survived on my own all those years, alone, just like a real queen should. I am not like you. I am a true queen and a shall remain one at any cost!"

Haru remained quiet for a moment, while Sumireko regretted to have been too honest. She told too much to Haru, she exposed her weakness to her enemy.

"I don't know why you think a queen must endure solitude, but it's not true. And you're wrong about me. I lost people I loved, I had to survive on my own too. But it's true that I wasn't alone. Those people who died for me are still with me, in my heart. I still love them, and this is what gives me the strength to survive for so long."

"Love… is a weakness!" Sumireko replied.

"No, you're wrong! Love isn't a weakness, love is a strength!"

Sumireko remained speechless. She wasn't expecting this answer. She never thought love you be a strength and refused to believe so.

"You are the one who is wrong. Love makes people weak, it makes them dependent on someone else. They became attached to others and it makes them weak, my love for Banba-san is making me weak because I cannot leave her, and cannot be a true queen anymore, to be the strongest…"

"Without love, I wouldn't have survived. It's thanks to the people I loved if I had the will to live, without that I wouldn't have fought so hard to preserve my life. Love gives us a purpose, a reason to live. Without that, life would be empty. What's the point of surviving if it's to be alone? What's the point of being strong if there's no one to protect and care for? Love gives us meaning, the will to live, and the strength to protect those we care for. I really don't see the appeal in being alone and loveless only for the sake of a pointless strength that only benefits oneself."

At first, Sumireko felt angry. Haru was basically telling her that her quest for strength that she spent so much of her life working on was pretty much pointless. She felt like it was an insult towards everything she strived and fought for. Right now she truly wanted to kill Haru. She trained so hard just for that, so what was stopping her?

But then she took the time to think about what Haru said. It was true that she survived all those years, and if it was thanks to love, then it meant it could indeed be a strength. It was true that she felt like her life was empty, she was so obsessed with power that she never took the time to simply enjoy life. What was the meaning of her life? Be the strongest? What will it bring her? To never be vulnerable and weak ever again. But will it be an enjoyable way to live her life?

There was something she willingly tried to forget. Haru defeated her once. Haru was currently the strongest queen, and she had love. So maybe she was right, maybe love was truly a strength and the reason why she managed to defeat her. But then, it would mean she was wrong, something Sumireko didn't want to admit. It was painful for her pride, but maybe the mature thing to do was to admit when she was wrong. Perhaps it was a proof of strength too.

"Since I am with Banba-san, I feel… happier. But I feel like it is making me… weak."

"Happiness doesn't make you weak. Your love for Mahiru-chan and Shinya-san makes you stronger."

"How so?"

"Because you have a reason to fight for, she brings meaning to your life. You aren't fighting on your own anymore, you're fighting with them. Instead of living only for yourself, you're living for the three of you. People are stronger when they fight for someone else, so fight for Mahiru-chan and Shinya-san. Be happy with them, make them happy, love them, and use it as a strength. For your sake and for them.

Sumireko felt like Haru… was right. It made sense. Love can be a strength, she just had to use it was way. But, even if love wasn't a weakness, she still had a problem.

"A queen must be alone. This is what I learned, and I do not think I can change that," Sumireko said.

"Then… why simply not be a queen anymore and be with Mahiru-chan instead?"

Sumireko couldn't believe what she heard. It sounded so absurd. Her, renouncing to be a queen? When pigs fly!

But then she wondered, why she wanted to be a queen so badly? Simply to be the strongest? No, she remembered the person who told her about Haru, the person who started all of this. This person told her about the queen bee ability, thus started Sumireko's obsession in being the strongest queen. She realized it wasn't even a desire she came up with first, it was all this person's fault. Her struggle for power came from her, but she knew now that love wasn't making her weaker. And she was enough strong the way she was, enough to protect herself and Banba.

So perhaps… there was no need for her to be a queen anymore.

"I will think about it. Thank you Ichinose-san, for listening to me and giving me advice."

"I just want you to be happy, you and Mahiru-chan."

"Haru!"

Tokaku suddenly arrived on the balcony.

"Hanabusa! What are you doing alone with Haru!?"

"Relax, we are only talking. But we are done now," Sumireko replied calmly. "It is starting to get late, let me walk you to the door."

"Ah, you're right, we should go back! Thanks for inviting us, the dinner was delicious," Haru said happily.

"It was my pleasure. Thank you for the diploma, and… for everything."

Sumireko then looked at both Haru and Tokaku and smiled.

"I wish you luck… for the both of you."

Haru smiled back.

"I wish you the same for you and Mahiru-chan, and also Shinya-san!"

* * *

As soon as Haru and Tokaku were gone, Sumireko immediately joined Shinya, who was in the living room.

"Wasn't expectin' those two to come over! I kinda like them, they are cute together. Kinda feel bad to have almost killed Ichinose once… well, the past is in the past," Shinya said.

Sumireko didn't let Shinya talk more that she delicately took her face in her hands, and softly kissed her on the lips. Shinya looked taken by surprise by this sudden kiss but didn't protest. She even started kissing her back, shoving her tongue inside of her mouth. The kiss lasted for a while as if they both desperately needed it. Sumireko needed to show her love to Banba, she needed to feel her, be close to her.

They eventually broke the kiss and looked at each other for a moment without talking, simply gazing at each other's eyes. Sumireko wasn't sure what to say, so she let her heart spoke for her.

"Shinya-san… I love you. You and Mahiru-san. You're both the most important people for me, you matter to much to me. You're so special to me."

Surprisingly, Shinya blushed a little at this statement, which Sumireko found adorable.

"I love ya too, Sumireko."

"Please, tell Mahiru-san that I love her."

"Hm, ya should do it yourself after the sunrise. The poor girl was worried for days, ya better apologize to her."

"I will, do not worry. I want her to be happy… I want us to be happy together."

Sumireko caressed one of Shinya's cheek and smiled softly.

"I want the three of us to always be together. I want to live the rest of my side by your sides, both you and Mahiru-san."

Much to her confusion, Shinya showed a sad expression. She gently took Sumireko's hand in hers, getting it away from her cheek, before she smiled in a sad way.

"Yeah… let's be together… forever," Shinya replied.

* * *

 **Good ending... or is it? You'll see next chapter.**

 **Thanks again for following this fic, and see you next time!**


	5. Chapter 5

On top of the hill with her pretty red dress, Mahiru was enjoying the warm and pleasant sunlight on her skin, the soft and comforting wind in her silver hair, and the magnificent view of the town. She could see Sumireko's mansion- no, her home, from up there. Mahiru smiled happily, feeling embraced by the tender scenery and one with nature.

For a long time, Mahiru had always be scared to go outside. She was always afraid that she might get attacked. She was scared of the light and used to run away from it, but she understood that not all lights were meant to hurt, some lights could be pleasant and warm, soothing the soul. She was equally scared of the dark, but she got used to living in it, darkness had become comforting for her, but now, she was ready to live in the light again.

"Thank you for everything, Shinya," Mahiru said softly.

" _Ya don't have to live in the dark anymore, enjoy the light. Enjoy it for both of us. Enjoy it with… with Sumireko,_ " Shinya said.

Mahiru blushed when she heard the name of her lover. The name of the girl who made her enjoy life again, who made her wants to be in the light again. She learned to trust again thanks to her, to allow herself to be happy. This emptiness she had in her heart that she was desperately trying to fill with relics was filled by Sumireko's presence by her side. Sumireko was more precious and valuable than any relic to her, their relationship was more sacred than any holy relic. She wanted to spend the rest of her life by her side and enjoy all the little things life could offer with her.

" _Sumireko is there to protect ya now, you're not alone anymore. I'm not needed anymore._ "

"I can be on my own now, but you'll always have a place in my heart, Shinya. I love you."

" _I love ya too, Mahiru._ "

And in a gust of wind, Mahiru felt freed of her past troubles, free to simply live without fear, to start enjoying life again and more importantly, be happy with someone, with her dear lover Sumireko.

Mahiru stayed on the hill for a while, simply enjoying the sight and what nature had to offer before she headed back to the mansion to be with her girlfriend.

* * *

Sumireko sighed, feeling abnormally nervous. She was standing in front of a door, holding in one hand a bouquet of flowers and in the other, a box of tea. She hesitated for a moment before she finally knocked at the door.

"You may come in," a mature voice said.

Sumireko opened the door and closed it behind her. She was in an office and the person she came to visit was sitting at a desk, looking at her with her usual plastic smile that looked printed on her face.

"Hi, Yuri-sensei."

"Please, you can call me Yuri-san. I'm not your teacher anymore."

"I am just too used to calling you sensei at this point."

Yuri continued to smile as she gestured Sumireko to sit down in front of her. In the past, she had been Sumireko's private tutor for a certain time. They kept in touch even after Yuri stopped teaching her.

Sumireko sat on the chair facing Yuri's desk and gave her the flowers.

"Those are as a sign of gratefulness for agreeing to invite me here," Sumireko said.

"Oh, that's so sweet of you, thank you. Since I knew you were coming, I prepare hot water to take tea. I see that you brought your own tea," Yuri said.

"Yes, it is Hanabusa blend."

"Your specialty then."

Sumireko dropped two tea bags in two cups before pouring the hot water, waiting for the tea to infuse.

"So, how are your life after Class Black? Not too disappointed to have lost?" Yuri asked with an enigmatic smile.

"Hm, well to be honest being defeated by Ichinose-san left a feeling of shame on me, but I have come to accept it. She visited me the other day, to bring me my diploma."

"Oh really? How did it go?"

"Well, we talked a little about… being a queen."

Yuri took a sip of her tea, still smiling in a mysterious way. Sumireko had never been able to know what this woman was thinking, she was always smiling with mild interest in her eyes. It almost felt like she was observing people as if they were her playthings, as if the world was her playground. Not surprising coming from such a powerful woman who basically controlled the world. She was just what a queen was meant to be.

"You always wanted to defeat Ichinose-san to prove you were the strongest queen, have you given up this goal?" Yuri asked.

"This desire to defeat Ichinose-san… it is because of you. You told me about her when I was a child, you… you wanted me to view her as my rival. Isn't that so, Yuri-sensei?"

"I respect you enough to be honest with you. I thought you would be a suitable enemy for Ichinose-san, the perfect last assassin to defeat. All I did was to help Ichinose-san to grow into the wonderful queen she had now become."

"I see… so you used me. You have never been on my side, you were on Ichinose-san's side all along."

"Can you blame me? You may have been my student, Ichinose-san is my blood. I have to do what is necessary for the sake of my clan."

Sumireko wasn't even mad. She disliked being used, but somehow, she couldn't get angry at Yuri. She understood why she did what she did. If she was in her situation, she would have probably done the same.

"But you grow to be a formidable queen yourself, Hanabusa-san. Look at you, such a beautiful girl. You were so cute as a child, but you have grown to be so pretty now. You can be proud of what you have become, you are strong now."

Sumireko felt a little bit uncomfortable. She came to talk to Yuri about something, but she wasn't sure if she really wanted to go there. She was worried about what her old teacher would say, somehow, she cared about Yuri's opinion and respected her. Deep down, she didn't want her to be disappointed about her.

Sumireko took her cup and drank some of her tea to calm down, savouring her favourite blend of tea.

"You told me… that a queen must endure solitude. But Ichinose-san… is not alone. She never was. Yet, you said she became a wonderful queen, and… she defeated me. Is it… possible to be a queen and… in love?"

"Ichinose-san is a queen, but she is fooling herself. She convinced herself that she can have love, love from Azuma-san, while all she has is her servitude. She is a strong queen yes, yet unfortunately, deluded. She will come back to her sense eventually and take the place that is rightfully hers," Yuri replied.

Those were the words Sumireko was fearing to hear. Yuri just broke her only hope of being a queen in love. She could simply not believe her, but her idea of a queen came from Yuri, it has to be the truth. Being a queen like Yuri and being in love was incompatible.

"I heard you hired Banba-san as your maid. How are things going on with her?" Yuri asked nonchalantly

"Banba-san and I… are dating."

They both remained silent for a moment. Yuri took another sip of her tea, still smiling, while Sumireko felt her heart racing.

"Interesting… I wish you happiness together," Yuri simply replied.

"But… to be a queen… has always been what I strike for. Yet, I… I want to be with Mahiru-san… and Shinya-san too. I love them, both of them! When I am with them… I do not wish to be alone now. Thinking of being separate from them is too painful, I… could not endure that solitude. I just… want to be with them so much."

Yuri finished her tea and put her cup in front of her. She was still smiling, but there was something rather threatening in her eyes.

"Well, good for you."

"Can I… still be a queen?" Sumireko asked.

Yuri continued to smile, but her smile seemed forced now. It looked like she was annoyed.

"Only a foolish queen believing in love," Yuri replied. "I must say I'm a little disappointed. I had great expectation of you, even without the primer you would have been a powerful queen, yet you fall into this trap called 'love'... it's truly such a shame."

Those words hurt and shattered anyone hope left Sumireko still had to be a queen. But instead of letting sadness win over her, she got angry, rose up and slammed her hand on the desk, spilling some of her tea that she had left.

"My love for Banba-san is not a shame!" Sumireko protested. "I did not fall into a trap, do not dare to disregard everything I lived with them!"

Yuri's smile seemed to become darker, mocking, even a little bit taunting.

"Oh, but I'm not making fun of your relationship with Banba-san. But you should know that love is useless, it's nothing more than a weakness…"

"No! Love… can be a strength! Love is giving us a reason to live, the will to survive, the strength to protect those we care about! Love gives us a reason to fight and get stronger, what is the point of being strong if it is to be alone?"

For a brief moment, Yuri stopped smiling, looking genuinely surprised to hear those words coming from Sumireko's mouth. Then she smiled again, and this time, it was a soft smile.

"You changed a lot, Hanabusa-san. I don't agree with your views, but it doesn't matter. For once, you're following your heart, what you truly desire. In a way, that is also what a true queen would do."

"I… I do not think I want to be a queen anymore. My reasons for wanting to be one were wrong. I still want to be strong, but in my own way. Strong with Banba-san."

"The choice is yours, you shouldn't bother with my opinion."

Sumireko had finally calmed down, feeling a little bit embarrassed to have lost her temper like that.

"Yuri-sensei… are you happy?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Are you happy… alone? Isn't there someone… you love and want to be with?"

Yuri looked like she was thinking, but it was obvious she was pretending and already knew the answer.

"I'm happy the way I am. There's no one who ever loved me, and I never loved anyone either. And it'll stay this way until the end," Yuri replied.

Despite her smile, Sumireko felt like that for a split-second, she saw sadness in Yuri's eyes. She looked down and noticed the mess she did with her tea.

"Oh, sorry, I will clean-"

"No need to worry, I will take care of it. Thanks for the tea, it was delicious."

"No, I am the one who should thank you… talking to you finally let me make the decision I was meant to take for a while now. I have no regret anymore, I can finally be free of my past troubles."

"I'm glad you come to a conclusion that makes you happy. Please, take great care of Banba-san."

"I will take care of both Mahiru-san and Shinya-san, I love them both so much, and hopefully we can be together forever, the three of us."

"I wish that for you too."

For once, Yuri smile seemed genuine. Sumireko couldn't help but smile too, somewhat glad that she came to some sort of agreement with Yuri. She grabbed her box of tea, feeling like everything she had to say had been said and that she should go back to her girlfriend.

"I will be going now, thanks for letting me come over, I see more clearly now."

"The pleasure was mine, I appreciated having tea with you. Don't hesitate to call me if you want to talk again."

"I will. Goodbye Yuri-sensei, have a wonderful day."

"Have a nice day too, Hanabusa-san."

Sumireko walked away and left Yuri's office, feeling finally free to love both Banbas without restraint, free from the role of the queen that was preventing her from truly allowing herself to love her girlfriends.

* * *

When she woke up, Mahiru was welcomed by total darkness. Overwhelmed by panic and fright she let out a terrified cry.

"Mahiru-san!?"

Sumireko turned on the light to discover her girlfriend shivering in the bed with teary eyes. She immediately felt the urge to comfort Mahiru and gave her a soft hug, which seemed to calm her down a little.

"What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" Sumireko asked.

"N-No… I just… wasn't use to the dark," Mahiru replied weakly.

"Right, you are scared of the dark. It must have been scary…"

But then suddenly, Sumireko noticed that something was odd. She broke the hug and stared at her lover with confusion.

"... Mahiru-san?"

"Y-Yeah?"

Sumireko glanced at the clock, which confirmed her doubts.

"It is… the middle of the night," Sumireko said. "Why… why are you here?"

Mahiru looked confused by the question, until she looked at the clock too and seemed in shock.

"I… I don't know…" Mahiru mumbled.

Worry started to overtake Sumireko and Mahiru looked like she finally understood what was going on.

"Shinya… is gone."

"Huh… ? What do you mean Shinya-san is gone!?"

Sumireko was starting to feel panicked, alarmed by the disappearance of Shinya.

"I'm not sure… earlier I told her I was ready to live in the light and be on my own, but… I wasn't expecting her to leave me like that… Shinya…"

Tears started to roll on Mahiru's cheeks. Despite her own sadness, Sumireko couldn't help but want to comfort Mahiru. She softly pat her head, gently stroking her silver hair.

"Everything will be okay, I am here for you," Sumireko said softly.

She wiped away Mahiru's tears and softly caress her cheek, before she smiled in a comforting way.

"It is late, we should go back to sleep and talk about this tomorrow, okay?" Sumireko proposed.

"O-Okay…"

Mahiru laid back in bed, while Sumireko was about to reach the lamp, but her girlfriend grabbed her arm.

"Please… let the light," Mahiru said.

"Oh, sure."

Sumireko retracted her arm and laid back too, curling up a little, feeling a lump in her throat. But she tried to suppress that feeling and closed her eyes, but no matter how hard she tried, she didn't manage to fall back asleep.

* * *

As she walked towards the living room, Mahiru smelt what seemed to be incense. When she woke up, Sumireko wasn't by her side. Mahiru was wandering in the mansion in search of her girlfriend, a little bit worried. She found that strange that she saw no one else. She was relieved to discover her in the living room but was then surprised to see her sitting on the floor. Sumireko never sit on anything else than her comfy chair or couch. She was in front of the coffee table, and Mahiru noticed three items on it, from left to right: flowers (moonflowers), incense and a candle.

"S-Sumireko-san?" Mahiru called shyly.

"Oh, Mahiru-san, good morning," Sumireko said in a stoic voice, without even turning back.

"What… what are you doing? Where is everyone?"

Sumireko lit the candle before she joined her hands as if she was praying.

"A funeral for Shinya-san. I was waiting for you, you can join me," Sumireko replied. "I gave vacations to the servant for the day so we can do it quietly with no disturbance."

It took a moment for Mahiru to process what she just heard.

"But… Shinya isn't dead," Mahiru said.

"She disappeared, it is pretty much the same. She is gone now."

It sounded like Sumireko's voice was cracking. Worried, Mahiru walked to her and put a hand on her shoulder. Her girlfriend finally turned back and Mahiru remained shocked when she saw her face. Despite an emotionless expression, tears were rolling on Sumireko's cheeks.

"I already miss her so much," Sumireko said weakly.

"I… I'm sorry," was all Mahiru could say.

"It is not your fault…"

Tears continued to roll from Sumireko's eyes as her lips started to shiver.

"Shinya-san was so rude and unrefined, I cannot count all the times she interrupted us when we were having a good time, all the things she broke in the house, or argued me. But despite all of that… I love her so much."

Sumireko's expression was starting to crack.

"Did I… ever tell her that I love her? I cannot remember… but it is too late now. I should have spent more time with her, go on night dates with her, just… be with her. It is too late, she is gone now, I will never see her again!"

Sumireko finally broke and burst into tears, and immediately, Mahiru took her in her arms and hugged her.

"It's okay, you can cry. I'm here with you, and I'll never leave you," Mahiru softly said. "I miss Shinya too, but… she left in peace. She was happy. And even if she's gone, I can still feel her in my heart. All you said, I'm sure she heard you. She knows you love her, and she loved you too."

Sumireko continued to cry in Mahiru's arms, who was softly patting her back. Sumireko eventually regained her composure and Mahiru gently wiped her tears away. Then softly, she pressed her lips against hers and for a moment, the two lovers share a tender and chaste kiss.

"I love you, Sumireko," Mahiru said with a smile.

A single tear fell from Sumireko's eyes as she smiled too.

"I love you too, Mahiru."

Mahiru took place right next to Sumireko and joined her hands together, doing a prayer for Shinya. Sumireko did the same and they remained quiet for a moment, until Sumireko blew on the candle, extinguishing it, while the incense continued to burn.

* * *

 **Well... RIP Shinya. You will be missed.**

 **Actually have to search for Japanese funeral rite for this chapter. Btw, moonflowers were Shinya's flowers in the series.**

 **Seeya next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

Sumireko slowly opened her eyes, the room weakly lit by the sun coming through the curtains. Instinctively she tried to stretch before she noticed she couldn't move her limbs. No, in fact, she couldn't feel her arms and legs. She lowered her head and discovered that she was limbless. But before she could freak out, she remembered that she willingly went to sleep in that state.

She turned her head and was happy to see Mahiru still sleeping, curled up with an innocent expression of her face. Sumireko smiled, rapt with wonder by her girlfriend adorableness. She was just so cute when she was sleeping. Sumireko wished she could touch her, or even take a picture. But without her limbs, it was impossible.

Sumireko remembered the events that led her to this situation. Shinya was gone, all she had left was Mahiru. Her love for her hadn't diminished in the slightest after the disappearance of her night personality, on the contrary Sumireko had become needier towards Mahiru. She needed her comfort, to feel that she was with her, that she won't leave her. She trusted her with all her heart and soul, enough to show herself in her most vulnerable state, to put herself between Mahiru's hands. She trusted her enough to sleep by her side without her limbs, she needed to prove it, to show how much faith she had in her girlfriend.

"Mahiru-san... Mahiru-san," Sumireko called softly.

Mahiru's forehead wrinkled a little and her eyes were shut close, before she lazily opened them, the first thing she saw as she woke up being Sumireko. She immediately smiled, which made Sumireko smiled even more.

"G-Good morning, Sumireko-san."

"Good morning, Mahiru-san. Did you sleep well?"

"Y-Yes, I did… what about you?"

"I had a wonderful night, thanks to you. I feel so comfortable when you're by my side."

Mahiru blushed a little and Sumireko wanted to caress her cheek, but she couldn't.

"Hm, Mahiru-san… could you bring me my limbs please?"

Mahiru looked at Sumireko for a moment, before an enigmatic smile appeared on her lips. She got closer to her girlfriend and suddenly straddled her, before kissing her softly on her lips.

A soft, warm and passionate kiss. Sumireko wished she had her arms right now she could hug Mahiru and brought her closer to her, tightly embracing her so she could never go away. She loved the sensation of Mahiru's soft lips against her, those shy lips that have taken in confidence since they were dating. Sumireko opened her mouth, inviting Mahiru to come inside. Her girlfriend slipped her tongue inside her mouth and started playing with her gently.

They eventually broke the kiss, both looking at each other with a slight blush on their cheeks.

"So… uh, are you going to give me my limbs or…?"

"Oh, right, sorry!" Mahiru exclaimed as she got out of bed, retrieving Sumireko's cybernetic limbs.

She put back one of Sumireko's robot arms and did the same with her legs, while Sumireko put back herself the second arm and sat up. Now that she had finally her limbs, she could do what she was longing for. She wrapped her arms around Mahiru's waist and suddenly gave her an affectionate embrace, while her girlfriend hugged her back.

"I love you so much," Sumireko said softly.

"I love you too."

Sumireko released Mahiru and stood up, before removing her pyjama to put some clothes, while Mahiru put her maid uniform.

"Let's go take tea while waiting for breakfast," Sumireko proposed.

"Y-Yes! I'll make some!" Mahiru said as she stood up too.

They both looked at each other fondly, and Sumireko eventually took Mahiru's hand in hers, heading for the door. Today will be another wonderful day with her girlfriend, and Sumireko had something planned to do with her.

* * *

The servants all looked surprised when Sumireko entered the kitchen.

"For the next couple of hours, I will be in charge of the kitchen," Sumireko declared. "You may attend to other tasks for the time being."

The servants looked at each other, confused.

"But, oujo-sama, the kitchen is… not suited for someone of your status," the cook said.

"I am the only one who may judge what is suited for me, and I decided that cooking was. So if you may excuse me, I would like to be alone with Mahiru-san," Sumireko ordered.

The servants exchanged a glance, before resigning themselves to their mistress' order.

"Very well, oujo-sama."

The servants left the kitchen, given free reign to Sumireko. Once she was alone, Sumireko grabbed an apron and tied it up around her waist. She took a deep breath and smile, ready and impatient to get to work.

"I didn't know… that you had an interest in cooking," Mahiru said.

"Well, recently I decided that I wanted to start to cook. Let's say that it always been a dream of mine. I always had respect and admiration for cooks, each time I eat something I always wonder if I could do something as delicious."

"Had you ever cook before?"

"Once, at my old school. There was a cooking club and I was invited, I helped baking a cake. I really enjoyed the experience. My dream is to be able to fully prepare everything in my tea party, not only the tea, but the food too. I think it is time for me to start practicing."

As she said that, Sumireko rolled up her sleeves and went to wash her hand. She was in a good mood, she was finally going to start something that might passionate her. Something she chose for herself, her own dream and aspiration, something she could be proud of and was truly hers.

After she finished washing her hands she wiped them and looked at the recipe she brought with her.

"So, we are going to do a vanilla cake with strawberries and chocolate muffins," Sumireko said.

"Uh… isn't too… sugary?" Mahiru asked, worried.

"Worry not, the sugar I use is natural and not as near caloric as the cheap sugar most people buy. So, I'll take care of the cake, can you handle the muffins?"

"O-Of course!"

They pre-heat the oven and got the ingredient ready: flour, sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla and chocolate flavour, butter and cream. Sumireko got a large bowl and dropped the flour and chocolate flavour, before adding butter, cream and milk. She started to stir the mix with the whisk, making sure everything was all homogenous. Mahiru was doing the same with the muffin mix. It was time to add the eggs. Sumireko grabbed two but was uncertain what to do. Never in her life had she broken an egg. Was there some kind of tool to open it? She looked at her girlfriend, a little bit embarrassed.

"Um, Mahiru-san… can you break these please?"

"Oh? Huh, sure!"

Mahiru took the egg and delicately, she broke it on the corner of the bowl, before dropping the egg yolk in the cake batter. Sumireko looked impressed and decided to do the same. She grabbed the second egg and delicately, she hit it against the bowl. It cracked a little and quickly, she put it above the bowl and broke it completely, dropping the egg yolk in it.

"Yeah, like that!"

"Thank you, Mahiru-san!"

Sumireko went back to stir the cake flour, making sure the eggs were well mixed with the rest. She took a look at Mahiru's bowl and her girlfriend seemed to have some difficulties stirring hers. As she finished her mixing, Sumireko decided to help out her girlfriend. She went behind her and gently took her arms, helping her to stir.

"You need to put more strength, like that," Sumireko whispered to her eyes.

Suddenly, Mahiru started to stir faster, too fast, and some chocolate residue splashed on her. Sumireko released her arms and Mahiru recoiled a little, chocolate on her apron and face.

"S-Sorry…" Mahiru said pitifully.

"Shh, it is alright, let me take care of this."

Delicately, Sumireko grabbed Mahiru's chin and got closer to her, and licked the chocolate from her face. Mahiru simply froze, her face completely red as her girlfriend continued to clean her face with her tongue. When she was done, Sumireko licked her lips with delight.

"Delicious~," Sumireko said with a smirk.

Mahiru remained frozen and Sumireko started to be worried that she might have broken her. She looked at both mix, checking it they seemed fine.

"I think we can stop now," Sumireko said. "Mahiru-san, you can pour the batter in the muffin pans, and we will put both in the oven."

Mahiru came back to her senses and nodded before she executed Sumireko's task. Sumireko did the same with the cake batter, she poured it in a cake pan. She then put both the cake and muffin's batters in the oven. Now all they have to do is wait.

"When it will be ready we will get the strawberry and icing," Sumireko said.

Slowly, Mahiru got closer to Sumireko, and without warning, stole her a kiss. She then recoiled, heavily blushing.

"Huh? What was that for?" Sumireko asked, surprised but happy.

"I… wanted a taste too," Mahiru said shyly.

Mahiru was just so adorable right now. Sumireko couldn't help but take her into her arms, softly stroking her back and hair. She could feel her girlfriend's heart beat fast, her warmth, her softness, and again she was so grateful that they met, that she had the chance to date her and discover love by her side. She wanted to be with her forever, have a normal and calm like with her, cook together, and simply enjoy life together. This was her only wish now.

As they waited for the cake and muffins to bake, the two lovers continued to hug, simply appreciate each other's presence and wishing that it could last forever.

* * *

"How is the tea, Mahiru-san?" Sumireko asked.

Her girlfriend finished taking a sip of her tea and put her cup on the table. They were both sitting in the living room, enjoying a tea party together.

"It's delicious," Mahiru said with a smile.

"It is Harrods tea, I am glad you like it."

Sumireko took a sip and appreciated the rich saviour and the nice aroma. She then took a bite of the strawberry vanilla cake.

"Mmm… the cake is good too, we did a good job," Sumireko commented.

"The… the muffins are good too."

"They sure are! You are a great baker, Mahiru-san."

Mahiru blushed a little to the compliment. In the center of the table was a bouquet of flowers, Japanese bindweeds. Sumireko took a bite of the muffins, appreciating the fact that they were made by her lover. Their textures were a little bit dry, but it was understandable. It was Mahiru's first time baking muffins after all. It was the same with the cake, but the icing and strawberry was reducing the dryness.

"The cake… is delicious. I'm sure you'll… become a great cook, with practice," Mahiru said.

"Well, thank you. I do aspire to that."

"I would want… to eat your cooking."

Sumireko blushed a little.

"I… would love that too. Cooking for my girlfriend seems like a great motivation to improve myself," Sumireko replied.

This was Sumireko's definition of happiness. A calm and peaceful tea party with her girlfriend eating pastries they made together, with a nice cup of tea. She couldn't wait to try other recipes and eat them with Mahiru. Really, her life was going for the better, she didn't think anything could ruin it at this point.

Crack!

Sumireko put down her tea and instinctively rose up. That sound, it looked like broken glass. It wasn't normal, she had a bad feeling about that.

"Sumireko-san…"

"Mahiru-san, go hide somewhere, I will take care of this-"

They suddenly heard a scream in the corridor. Before they could to anything, the door brusquely opened, and three people burst into the living room, all in black and wearing masks. Instinctively, Sumireko got in front of Mahiru, protective.

"I am afraid that this is a private tea party, I do not recall inviting you," Sumireko said with a threatening gaze.

The three masked individuals aimed at her with guns and Sumireko knew she was facing assassins. It had been such a long time she wasn't attacked that she forgot about those, she let herself become too laid-back with her happy life to be on her guard anymore.

Before they could shoot, Sumireko rushed towards one of them and kicked their hand, before punching them in the face. She may not have her regular combat limbs, her normal limbs were still stronger than organic ones. Quickly Sumireko grabbed the gun and jumped on the floor to dodge the bullets, before rushing towards her girlfriends.

"Mahiru-san, get down!"

Mahiru went to hide behind the couch while Sumireko faced the assassins, starting to shoot too. She managed to hit one who fell to the ground, inert, a bloody hole in their chest. Sumireko kept moving to dodge the bullets and continued to aim at the assassins, until she was out of bullets. But fortunately, so where they.

"Who are you, who sent you!?" Sumireko exclaimed.

Obviously, the assassins didn't answer and Sumireko guessed they were sent by her father's enemies. They dropped their guns and took out knives instead and rushed towards Sumireko. She managed to avoid their attack, but they surrounded her, and as she dodged one attack she barely had time to dodge the other and ended up with a slash on her back. Distracted by the pain, the other assassin stabbed one of her arms. Sumireko recoiled a little and ended up corned, the two assassins getting closer to her.

" _It cannot be the end… I cannot die now… I was finally happy, I do not want to die now!_ "

Suddenly, the light was turned off, plunging the room in darkness. The assassins stopped for a moment, confused, while Sumireko looked at the light switch. She could barely see a silhouette near it that looked like Mahiru.

"... hehe… hehehe… hahaha…. HAHAHAHAHA!"

An insane laugh resounded in all the room and the assassins turned back, Banba rushing towards them. She grabbed one of the assassins' head and easily broke their neck, killing them instantly. The other assassin tried to stab her, but Banba dodged and grabbed a lamp, before smashing it on their head. The assassin fell to the ground and Banba continued to repetitively hit them with the lamp, until they stopped moving. They were dead too.

Sumireko remained frozen, confused by what she just witnessed. Her eyes became used to the darkness and she could see Banba's face, she was grinning like crazy.

"... Mahiru-san?"

"Wrong! Come on Sumireko, it ain't been so long since I left, don't tell me ya already forget about me?"

Sumireko remained shocked. She knew who she was, but couldn't believe she was back. She had mourned her and came to accept her disappearance, but to see her back made her so happy. Tears started to roll on her cheeks, tears of sadness and happiness.

"Shinya…" Sumireko said, her voice cracking due to emotions.

"Yeah, it's me, I'm back baby!"

Sumireko immediately rushed towards Shinya to hug her, holding her tightly so she never leaves again. Shinya hugged her back, softly patting her back.

"I… I do not understand… I thought you were gone because Mahiru-san did not need you anymore. We even had a funeral for you."

"Well, it's true, I thought I only existed to protect Mahiru… but when you were in danger, I felt Mahiru's distress, her desire to help you, and it just… brought me back. I don't only exist to protect Mahiru, for her sake, but only.. for yours. I also exist for ya, ya need me, and I want to be there for ya."

Feeling moved by those words and overtaken by pure joy, Sumireko grabbed Shinya's shoulder and kissed her passionately, and Shinya kissed her back. She missed her rough kisses, wild and dominant. Shinya was back, Sumireko couldn't be happier. She missed her so much.

Suddenly, the light was turned on again and Shinya immediately recoiled.

"Urgh…. light," Shinya complained.

Sumireko turned back, worried, but sigh in relief when she saw who it was.

"Oh, it is you… glad to see you are still alive," Sumireko said.

"Those bandits knocked me out," her butler replied, as he looked around and see the three corpses. "I see that you deal with them on your own, oujo-sama."

"Shinya-san helped me."

Sumireko turned back to Banba, who was now looking down, tears in her eyes.

"She's back… Shinya's back…"

"Oh, Mahiru-san, it is you."

Mahiru immediately hugged Sumireko, tears now rolling on her cheeks.

"I… I'm so happy," Mahiru mumbled.

Sumireko wanted to comfort her and be the calm one, but she couldn't stop her own tears as she hugged her back to.

"I know, I am happy too."

And they simply continued to hug and cried in each other's arms, happy about Shinya's return, and still a little bit shocked about this assassination attempts. The living room was a mess, and it seemed that their tea party had to end now.

"I will, huh… take care of the bodies," the butler said awkwardly.

The couple ignored him and continued to hug until their eyes were dry. It may have been a terrible way to end their tea party, but things ended up for the better. Sumireko was almost grateful to those assassins to have brought back Shinya.

From now one, she'll make sure to not neglect Shinya and spend a lot of time with her.

* * *

 **Well, looks like Shinya is already back. Welcome back Shin!**

 **I hope you enjoyed that chapter, and seeya next time for the last chapter!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi there! So there we are, last chapter of this fic! I hope you're going to like it!**

* * *

Today was a beautiful day. The sun was shining in the sky, the weather was warm but not humid, a perfect day to enjoy some quality time outside. Walking through the flowers were Sumireko and Mahiru, holding hands. They decided to take advantage of the good weather to visit the local flower garden. The garden was a real maze, with beautiful flowers at each corner. The couple took the time to stop every time they saw pretty flowers to admire them.

"Oh, basil flowers. There's something mysterious about that flower," Sumireko commented.

"You're right," Mahiru said.

"If Shutou-san was here she would tell us about their meaning. I may enjoy flowers, I'm afraid I am not as knowledgable as her."

"Even without knowing their meaning, we can still appreciate their beauty."

"You are right."

They continued their way in the maze and stopped by another corner to admire the flowers, little red ones with the center yellow.

"Oh, those are Iceland poppies," Sumireko said.

"They are so beautiful… just like you."

Sumireko blushed a little from the compliment. They continued to walk until they found other red flowers.

"Red carnations… despite their beauty, I always found that they looked pretentious and arrogant," Sumireko said.

"They are… kind of scary," Mahiru said.

They moved quickly from the red carnation, and found once again red flowers.

"Hm, red tulips. Simple yet elegant, I always found those flowers had a wise vibe," Sumireko said.

"Looking at them is relaxing," Mahiru added.

They contemplate the tulips for a moment, before moving on to the next flowers.

"Thistles, they look aggressive with their prickles, but I believe they are underrated," Sumireko said.

"They aren't that pretty and I'm scared to touch them, but they aren't ugly either," Mahiru said.

They walked again and found flowers in multiple colours.

"Roses," Sumireko said. "Flowers of love, yet I always find them… somewhat immature."

"I think they look cute," Mahiru commented.

"They are, I cannot deny that."

They walked a little more and found small purple flowers.

"Verbena, I always found that there was some richness about those flowers, something fulfilling," Sumireko said.

"Those flowers are appeasing to look at," Mahiru added.

Sumireko smiled at her girlfriend and walked away, moving on to the next flowers.

"Ah, red spider lilies. I always felt bad for those flowers, often associate with death, even though they are lovely," Sumireko commented.

"They are lovely indeed."

As they continued to walk, they pass by another species of lilies.

"Mountain lilies… I never liked those flowers. I always find them ugly," Sumireko admitted.

"There's something… frightening about those," Mahiru agreed.

They didn't waste time looking at those flowers and moved one.

"Oh, regular lilies. Such a pretty flower… but sometimes it just makes me want to cut them even more," Sumireko said with a smirk.

"They are really pretty yeah… I like those."

On their way in the maze, they spotted small violet flowers.

"Heliotropes, I always found those kind of bland. But I guess they could be pretty mix with other flowers," Sumireko said.

"I agree."

Still holding Mahiru's hand, Sumireko wandered in the maze, looking for more flowers, before they reached the end of the maze. The sky was slowly turning in a pinkish hue, the sun starting to go down. As she looked at the sky, Mahiru suddenly looked nervous.

"Mahiru-san, are you alright?" Sumireko asked with concerns.

"Y-Yeah… let's go on the hill to see the sunset," Mahiru proposed.

"Oh, sure."

The couple left the garden and headed for the hill close to it, where there was a single tree. There were few people there, mostly lovers admiring the sunset together. It was creating beautiful colours in the sky. Sumireko and Mahiru admired the twilight in silence, hand-in-hand, the weather starting to get colder. Sumireko then turned towards her girlfriend, smiling.

"I had a fun day today. Thanks for bringing me here, the garden was truly beautiful," Sumireko said.

"I… I knew you like flowers, so I thought it was the perfect place for… uh…"

Mahiru suddenly looked even more nervous, avoiding Sumireko's gaze, much to her worries.

"Mahiru-san? What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing's wrong, quite the opposite in fact… just waiting for the right moment so I can do this with Shinya."

"But do what?"

Mahiru didn't reply and looked at the sunset. It was still there, but it looked like it will almost be night. Suddenly, the silver-haired girl took and deep breath and dropped on one knee, pulling out something from her pocket: a small box.

"Mahiru-san… ?" Sumireko mumbled, realizing what was happening.

With a shy smile, Mahiru opened the box, revealing two rings, one with a sapphire and the other with an amethyst.

"S-Sumireko-san, would you… would you marry me?"

Sumireko remained speechless for a moment, surprised that Mahiru had the courage to ask her that. She was impressed, but more importantly, moved. Her eyes became teary as she smiled with emotions.

"Yes, yes I do!" Sumireko exclaimed tearfully.

Mahiru smiled happily as she passed one of the rings around her girlfriend's (now fiancée) finger, the one with a sapphire. Sumireko then realized how dark the sky was now and couldn't see the sun anymore. Banba's smile became wider, turning into a grin and her gaze looked fierce.

"Sumireko, would you marry me?" Shinya asked.

Sumireko remained confused for a moment before she understood what happened. They were both proposing because they were both their own person, and they waited for the twilight so they can both do it at the same time.

Tears roll on Sumireko's cheeks, tears of pure happiness, as it was probably the best moment of her life.

"Yes, I do want to marry you too!" Sumireko said, moved.

Shinya passed the second ring around Sumireko's finger and rose up, and suddenly, they heard clapping.

They both looked around and see the other people cheering for them, touched by this sudden marriage proposal. Sumireko felt a little bit embarrassed to have an audience, while Shinya seemed rather amused.

"They seem to enjoy the sight. How about we gave them what they want?" Shinya proposed.

"You mean… Oh, Shinya-san! I did not think you would have exhibitionist tendencies."

"Well, what can I say, I like to put up a show," Shinya replied with a cocky smile.

Sumireko sighed and smiled softly, deciding to get along with Shinya's antic. As everyone was watching, she got closer to her fiancée and kissed her passionately on the lips, under the clapping of everyone cheering on them.

A memorable marriage proposal that will remain carved in her memory.

* * *

"By the power vested in me, I declare you united by the sacred bond of marriage. You may now seal your union with a kiss," the celebrant said.

Mahiru was so beautiful in her wedding dress. She looked like an angel. Sumireko leaned a little until her lips met with her wife's, officializing her union with her. A chaste yet passionate kiss that united them as spouses. They eventually broke the kiss and gazed in each other's eyes, until Mahiru chuckled.

"What is funny, Mahiru?"

"Shinya said 'me too'," Mahiru whispered.

Sumireko remained quiet for a moment until she realized what it meant. She didn't only marry Mahiru, she married Shinya too. She was present in Mahiru's head right now, participating in this ceremony.

"Well then, I will have to kiss Shinya later too to seal our union," Sumireko replied with a smile.

Mahiru smiled too and they hugged, under a round of applause from the guests. They then rose up and started moving the chair, freeing the place as the music started. Sumireko gently took Mahiru's hand.

"Let's go dance," she said.

Her wife nodded and they headed for the center of the room, under everyone's gaze. The two spouses faced each other, Sumireko putting a hand on Mahiru's waist and one on her shoulder as she slowly guided her, dancing.

The other guests started to dance too, following the newly married couple's steps. Sumireko and Mahiru danced softly, holding each other and waltzing, smiling at each other.

"I didn't expect… so many people to come," Mahiru said.

"Me neither. But I suppose I should have expected it, after all I am the daughter of a powerful businessman."

"It's a shame that… your father isn't here."

"Well, he is a really busy man. But he still sent a gift."

Sumireko knew it wasn't the reason. Her father might have not opposed to their union, she doubted that he was truly accepting of her marrying another woman, but he didn't care enough about it to complain.

"Let's not talk about that, let's just enjoy this very special day together," Sumireko said.

"You're right… I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it is alright," she said, kissing her wife's forehead.

They continued to waltz softly, guided by the music, almost forget that they weren't alone. They got a little bit closer, almost hugging, dancing at the rhythm of the music. They didn't even see the time fly until Mahiru looked at the clock.

"It's almost the evening, the sun must be about to go down," Mahiru said.

"Oh, right, it is almost time," Sumireko as she released her wife.

"Be right back," Mahiru said as she left the room.

Some guests stopped dancing to look at Sumireko, probably wondering why her wife had to left. Sumireko didn't mind them, patiently waiting for her spouse to come back.

After a moment, Banba stepped inside the room, wearing an all-white suit. This time, all the guests stopped dancing to look at Banba, mumbling to each other. Sumireko smiled as she looked at how handsome her spouse was as she walked towards her, grinning.

"I'm here, Sumi," Shinya said.

"Welcome back, Shinya."

Shinya suddenly grabbed Sumireko's waist and drew her closer to her, before kissing her with fiery under the impressed gaze of their guests. Shinya eventually broke the kiss and smirked.

"Now our union is sealed too," she said.

Sumireko blushed a little bit as Shinya started to lead her in a dance, a more energetic one. Nobody else danced, they were all looking at the newly married couple. Shinya was leading the dance in a quick waltz, before making Sumireko spin on herself, then lifting her in the air and delicately putting her on the group, slowly letting her fall then catching her, leaning close to her, before she put her back on her feet.

The guests clapping for their performance and cheered. Shinya took her wife in a close embrace before they share a quick kiss. Today was truly the best day of her life.

Shinya eventually released her and Sumireko turned to her guests with a bright smile, before talking to them.

"So, who is hungry? I believe it is time to eat the cake."

* * *

The reversible open sign was on the close side. It was still the night, but it was almost the dawn. Inside the tea house, Sumireko was putting the chairs near the tables, getting the room ready for clients. When she was done, Sumireko looked around.

Her own tea house. She always dreamed of opening one where she can serve her own tea and pasties. She had always been fond of tea parties, but now it wasn't just a hobby. It was her job. She then looked at her two wedding rings. It wasn't her dream only to her, she wasn't alone. Not anymore.

"Everything's ready, Sumi?"

Sumireko turned back. Shinya was walking towards her, wearing a maid uniform.

"Everything seems to be. It is almost the morning, we will open soon," Sumireko said. "But first, I need to show you something. Follow me."

Sumireko gestured her spouse to follow her and headed for the backstore. Sumireko got closer to a closet and opened it, revealing what it was containing: a butler uniform.

"Your uniform, I thought it would suit you better, and that you would be more comfortable with," Sumireko said.

With the tips of her fingers, Shinya brushed the butler uniform and a grin appeared on her lips as she turned towards her wife.

"It's perfect, I love it! Thanks Sumi!"

"Oh my, anything for my precious spouse~"

As she said that, Sumireko leaned to steal a kiss from Shinya. Shinya replied by kissing her back, a little bit more fiercely. She wrapped an arm around Sumireko's waist and drew her closer to her, kissing her with her tongue. The kiss suddenly became softer, before Banba recoiled a little, blushing.

"Oh, Mahiru. I see that is the morning."

"Is… everything ready?" Mahiru asked.

"It should be. Hopefully everything goes well, I spent a lot of my saving on this."

Sumireko officially renounced to her title as heiress of the Hanabusa family. Obviously it didn't please her father, not that he tried to harm her projects. Deep down, he was probably hoping that it was just a phase and that she would "come back her senses" later. But Sumireko had made her choice. She simply wanted a normal and simple life with her spouses, earn her own money and be independent. She was tired to live as her father's extension, she wanted to be free and be her own person rather than simply be linked to her surname. She was more than just a name.

"It will work. After all, your tea and cooking are wonderful. And I'll be there to help you," Mahiru said with a soft smile as she took her wife's hands in hers.

Sumireko smiled too, comforted by her lover's words. Then slowly, they headed to the front door, still holding hands, and looked at the clock. It was almost 7 am.

"It is the moment of truth," Sumireko said.

Mahiru gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as encouragement, and Sumireko felt more at ease. She wasn't alone, she was stronger than before, and more importantly, she was truly happy.

Smiling and with a light heart, Sumireko grabbed the sign and flipped it over, now being on the open side.

* * *

 **The end.**

 **Sumireko and Banba are now married and happy with their own tea house. All they need now are kids *cough* Little Devils *cough***

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and thank you for reading this fic! I have another SumiBanba story in mind for later, so seeya another time!**


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